S.F. woman convicted of drug, money laundering charges gets 11 years

A Sioux Falls woman was given a sentence of nearly 11 years in custody after being convicted of drug and money laundering charges.

Thiphavanh Noy Khaleck, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit money laundering in October. She was sentenced 130 months in custody on March 31.

Khaleck and five others were indicted by federal grand jury in April 2013. Others indicted were: Thongsay Chantharath, 41, Jimmy Thithavong, 28, and Kenneth Louis Stanly, 54, all of Worthington, Minn. David Soukthavong, 27, and Jon Charles Batcheller, 25, both of Sioux Falls were also indicted.

Between 2009 and 2012, the group conspired to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana in Sioux Falls. Some members made trips to California and Minnesota to purchase the drugs.

Khaleck and a co-defendant conspired to commit money laundering by keeping the deposits and withdrawals of cash drug proceeds below $10,000, in an effort to avoid bank reporting requirements